Entries have opened for SA Tourism’s fifth annual Lilizela Tourism Awards. Entries close on May 31 and the provincial awards will take place in September, followed by the national awards in October.
The Lilizela Tourism Awards are an initiative of the Department of Tourism, and spearheaded by SA Tourism.
Sisa Ntshona, CEO of SA Tourism, said: “The criteria for the awards are constantly being refined, through ongoing consultation and feedback surveys, to ensure that hospitality establishments, venues, service providers and tourism attractions meet industry and traveller requirements. Because of the annual review that will follow each awards ceremony, entries will open in March from this year onwards.”
Ntshona said that, as a result of the most recent review, sustainability and contribution to inclusive growth had become important considerations in the adjudication process. “South African Tourism’s main objective is to work with the industry in contributing towards inclusive growth while helping to grow new players into the industry. The importance of transforming tourism and its feeder industries cannot be understated.”
From next year, there will be an even greater emphasis on sustainable and responsible practices. “We have found through our interactions with the industry that there is a growing need for sustainable and responsible practices in all tourism enterprises,” said Ntshona. “For this reason, from 2018 onwards we will be introducing specific sustainability criteria for the Lilizela Tourism Awards, to coincide with the intended Responsible Tourism recognition measures that are to be introduced by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa during the course of 2017. If tourism product owners place more focus in minimising their environmental impacts, it will add to South Africa’s attractiveness as a progressive, world-class tourism destination.”
Categories for the awards include service excellence, universal accessibility, the Minister’s Award for innovation in tourism, and the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award. There are also categories for tourist guides and tour operators.
“Hospitality can be a challenging and highly demanding industry, and we want industry players to know that we value their efforts in helping South Africa to grow and diversify our tourism sector,” said Ntshona.
For more information, or to enter, click here.
